Refrigerating apparatus.



E um Paents Sept. "i,

E. BRETNEY.

REFRIGERATING AEPARATUS. APPLmMIN rms!) wel. 1911.,

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EUGENE BRETNEY, (DE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIAIIZA-l REFRIGERATING' APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application iiie August s, 1911. serial No. 642,972.

Patented'Sept. 1, 1914.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE Bnnrnnna citizenI of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, lof which; the following is a Specification.

Myl said invention consists in an improved construction and arrangement of parts of refrigerator orcold storage; boxes in which is combined a storage compartment and a display compartment, whereby both of said compartments may be maintained at i such temperature as may be required Afor the purpose and of uniform' temperature throughout all parts, thereof, all as will be hereinafter more` fully` described and claimed,

Referring to the accompanying drawings, -whichare made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters `indicate similar parts', Figure 1, ,is a front elevation of a section of a. refrigerator or cold storage boX embodying m said invention, Fig. 2, a rear,

elevation of t e same, Fig'. 3, a longitudinal section, Fig. ,4,- a cross section on dotted ,lines i-etinFig. 3, Figs'. 5 and 6, detailed views illustrating ay controlling valve, and Figs. 7 and 8, similar views illustratinga modified form thereof.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the; frame ofthe box, B a refrigeratin compartment, and C a fan' casing.

T ie construction of the box-is of the general character' of.construction of ice boxes andrefrigerators and requires no special ,der scription eXcept in so far as it relates to the `particular features constituting my presentv invention. D y

Ther boxjs dividedby a horizontal parti- 1 y tion a intotwo compartments,.A1 and A2, the compartment A1 being inclosed by doublewaHs packed with insulating matelrial and intended as the storage com artment. Tliecompartment A? has `glass ront panels 10,. glass end panels 1 1, and glass top panels 12, which yconvert said compartment into a displaycompartment, or show-case. Said glass panels are preferably formed double, as shown, in order to protectthe interior from the outside temperature. The

rear side of; the structure is provided with latseries of doors, al andai, which afford access to. thev interior compartments A1 and iA?, respectively. v

The refrigerating compartment B is lformed in one` endl ofl the compartment A1 ,ande-comprises double wallsailled with insulating material. It contains a refrigerating coil 13 which leads from an ammonia congdenser, or other source of refrigerant sup- ;ply (not shown), and throug'hwhich the re- `{trigerant 1s circulated in the well known Imanner.

14- -leading into the lower side of the relfrigerating chamber B and an air inlet pipe :l5 connected withrits-eye. The fan itself `Sis not shown but, aswill1bel readily undergstood, is of any approyed'construction and operatcd by any convenient power. Suction fpipes 16 and 17 are located in the upper corners of the compartments A1 and A?, refspectively, oli-one side, while discharge pipes 18 and 19 are located in the corresponding @corners on the opposite side of'said co1npart ,ments The pipes 16 and 17 aire connected jto inlet pipe land pipes 18 and 19 lead from the upper end of refrigerating com- `-partment B. Each of said pipes is provided with a series, of. apertures located at short intervals throughout its length, and a movable pipe section, or valve 20, with corre-i rspending apertures is mounted over said apertures. In Figs. 5 and 6 such pipe section, or valve, is shown as adapted to slide 'longitudinally-over the pipe, while in Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown it as adapted to turn aroundsaid pipe. By such means the size of the apertures may be adjusted to control botlith'e. inlet to and the discharge from the several, pipes, as may. be desired, and the temperature ofcach" compartment regulated to. su'itits purposes. In operation, the refrigerant being in active, circulation through coil 13, the temperature of compartment B is, lowered to the degree desired. The fan in Acasing C is started in operation and serves-to drawtlie air :tronivcompartments A1 andaAt through pipes 16l and 17 iintopip/e, 15 and discharge the. same into the lower side of compartment B.: The circulation 'of thesairthroiigh said icnmparte Cit ving-a refrigerating coil,

Vof the apparatus and part of which ment, passing among the refrigerating coils therein, serves to lower the temperature o the air, which is then forced through the pipes 18 and 19, respectively, and discharged under pressure into the upper earners of saidcompartments A1 and A2 on the opposite side from the suction pipes 16 and 17. The cold air coming in on one side will fall to the bottom of the compartments While the Warmer air Will'be drawn out through pipes 1G and 17, and the circulation thus constantly maintained and the compartments kept at Whatever temperature may be desired. By the adjustment of values 2O the volume of cold air circulated in any compartment may be regulated and its temperature maintained to suit its special needs. The use of icel is thus avoided, the apparatus is kept sweet and clean at all times and free from the moisture incident'to the use of ice as a refrigerant.

By the proper adjustment of the regulating valves any circulation found most advantageous for the immediate purpose of any compartment of the apparatus may be maintained. As the Several pipes 16 17, 18 and 19 extend the entire length of tie several compartments the circulation of the air is kept uniform throughout the entire structure and the temperature in all' parts of each of the several compartments isthus maintained at a uniform degree. The air Within the compartments being under pressure outside air cannot rush in and materially change the temperature when the door of any compartment isA opened for ordinary purposes. It will becunderstood, oi course, that any number of compartments may be used that may be found advantageous and that the illustration of only two is merely or'the purpose .of illustrating the invention as the multiplying o the compartments will -not in any manner modify the operation of the apparatus. v h

Having thus fully' described my' said in vention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. A combined refrigerator and display case consisting of a 'unitary structure comprising a multiplicity of compartments part of Which are provided with transparent sides for displaying the contents and part of which are inclosed b y insulated double Walls, a refrigerating compartment containa system of air circulating ipes a part of which lead from said rerigerating compartment to discharge into the storage and display compartmnt eac from said compartments back to afan, and said fan arranged to discharge into said refrigerating compartment, substantially as set forth.

`i2. A retrigerator consisting of a unitary structure comprising several compartments each separated from the other by importorate insulated Walls, a refrigerating compartment Within said structure surrounded by insulated Walls, a refrigerating Poil mounted in said compartment, a rotary 'fan mounted within said structure and connected to discharge into said refrigerating com partment, pipes leading from said refrigerating compartment through the upper side of the other compartments and formed with a series of discharge apertures located at intervals throughout their length, and another series of ipes located in the opposite corners of tie upper side of said other compartments having a series of inlet apertures at intervals throughout their length and communicating with the eye of said rotary fan, whereby the air from the refrigerating compartment is forced into the upper side of said other compartments at one side and the Warmer air Withdrawn from the opposite side and forced through said refrigerating compartment, substantially as set forth. I

3. A refrigerator consisting of a unitary structure comprising several compartments and. containing the refrigcrating apparatus,

the upper compartments being :formed with transparent sides to serve as display compartments and the lower compartments inclosed by non-transparent sides to serve as storage compartments, a refrigerating compartmcnt forming a part of the structure and separated by insulated Walls from the other compartments, air circulating Apipes extending from the upper portion of said refrigerating compartment throughout the upper portions on one side of said display and storage compartments, another series of pipes communicating with the lower portion 105 of said refrigerating compartment and eX- tending throughout said several compartments in the opposite upper cornerthereof said several pipes 'being formed with apertures at intervals throughout their length, and a rotary fan interposed' in said air circulating pipes for forcing the air in one direction and creating suction in the other direction Wherebya constant circulation is maintained through said refrigerating compartment and through' salu several storage and display compartments the cold air being discharged in the upper corner on one side of said com artments andtthe Warmer air withdrawn rom the opposite-upper' corner, 120 substantially as set forth.

LA refrigerator comprising. a refrigerating compartment and storage compart-v ments, air circulating pipes leading to and arranged to discharge into and from said refrigerating compartment aud into and t from the other storage compartments of the refrigerator, said pipes being provided with a series of apertures arranged at intervals throughout the length of the refrigerator storage compartments, and valves arranged to control the size of said apertures, sub- 5 stantally as set forth.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set I my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana,

this tl 'day of August, A. D. nineteen hundred and eleven.

EUGENE BBEINEY. [11. 5.]

lVitnesses:

E. W. BRADFORD, L. M. PA'rrERsoN. 

